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First off, I wanted to thank everyone who has been so diligently reading the Runway Diaries! We’ve had so much fun and are extremely glad to have your support! We’re now being read in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Cambodia, Spain, Mexico, Israel & Thailand! Click the map to the right under “Who’s Reading Where” to check it out!

This post is a request from a very sweet girl I’ve come to know. So, Courtney, this one’s for you girl! While submerged deep into the holidays, what better to cover than holiday makeup. Most importantly, smokey eyes! They’re oh-so-sultry and appropriate at almost any holiday event!

1. Before starting anything, you should always prep the area. In this case it’s the eyelid. Prep your lids with your favorite primer, or see below if you need to add one to your make up bag. Primer is a semi-liquid substance that, when applied before eyemakeup, will keep your shadow from creasing, flaking, or disappearing much longer. Apply primer on your entire working surface, from lash line to brow, and let dry before doing anything else.

Smokey eyes can be done in a variety of different hues: greys, blacks, browns, or even a fresh new violet. With any smokey eye, regardless of the color, you will need 3 varying shades. A light color (I prefer this color to have a bit of shimmer so it enhances the curve of your brow bone), a medium shade, & a dark (full-pigment) shade. A full-pigmented shade basically means it has a high ratio of pigment to shadow. What this means to you? You’ll only need to apply a layer or two in order to get the color dark enough. However, if you’re doing this for the first time, you might want to disregard the “full-pigment” note and build color on slowly… it’s harder to mess up that way.

2. Using the light, shimmery shade, sweep across your lid from lash line to brow bone. That’s right, all the way up to the brow. If you don’t wear eye makeup on a regular basis, this will feel weird, but trust me, it will look fantastic. [Shown below as diagonal lines]

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3. Next, brush the medium color from lash line to the crease, only covering the lid. [Shown below as a cross-hatched pattern]

copyright RUNWAY DIARIES 2010

4. With the dark hue, start at the outer corner of your eye and blend inwards. I use more of a “dabbing” technique rather than long strokes for this step. Look especially close at the diagram for this one because describing it is next to impossible. This dark color should extend from where the outer corner of your eye and crease meet, following the crease line to the inner iris border, and on the lid about 1/3 of the way in (or at your outer iris border). The key here is BLENDING! [Shown below as the dotted area] Using the right brush will help you out extremely in this step. Opt for an angled contour brush like one of these:

Now that we have a good shadow base, the next step is to line the eye. If you are using black-greys-metalics, go with a black liner. If you’ve opted for browns, choose a rich brown. Colors can go either way, a darker shade of the color (dark violet), or just stick to black. Be creative! That’s what keeps this look ever-interesting. A pencil or creme eyeliner works well, but stay away from liquid– it’s extremely messy if you aren’t seasoned and won’t smudge well, the key to a smokey look.

5. Line the eye from the inner corner to the outer. Slightly thicken the line at the middle for a more dramatic look. [Shown Below]

copyright RUNWAY DIARIES 2010

6. Using a shadow that is the same color as your liner and a very thin eyeliner brush, gently “pat” the shadow over the liner to set it. While setting your liner, slightly blend the liner line upwards to avoid a too-stark look.

7. With the same thin liner brush and your darker “full pigment” color (the darkest of the 3, not the liner color), dust the lower lash line from the outer corner to the inner iris border.

8. Finish with 2 coats of black mascara and you’re done!

Pair them with a little black dress to really vamp up the drama or transition a more casual outfit into night. Any way you wear them, you can’t go wrong with this step-by-step guide to ultra smokey eyes!